As usual, at the beginning of the year I laid out a series of major and minor goals. Now as the year comes to a close it’s time to look back to see how things shook out. I’ve done this every year since starting this blog and while sometimes I’ve hit all my goals, sometimes… Continue reading 2023 Year in Review
Tag: financial independence
Cars Suck…Again
It seems like every year I have another complaint about my vehicle situation. Whether it’s my old truck and the maintenance, having to get a massive SUV, or the fact that I unapologetically lease a German luxury SUV and I friggin’ love it. Now I have to complain that the (dirty, evil, so not FIRE… Continue reading Cars Suck…Again
That Time “Die with Zero” Messed with My Head
It’s been a while since I posted anything, but thankfully I don’t think anyone was out there dying for my next post. The truth is I was caught up in the boring middle, and with the stock market in a slump I was pretending to not pay attention to money. An interesting confluence of events… Continue reading That Time “Die with Zero” Messed with My Head
One Week on the Carnivore Diet
One of my stated goals for 2023 is to get serious about my health. Early in the year someone I worked with died suddenly, and three people in my life received cancer diagnosis’. It was a bit of a wakeup call for me to really look at the way I’m treating my body. Yes, I… Continue reading One Week on the Carnivore Diet
Three Case Studies – And They’re All Wrong!
I’ve talked before about my parents influence on my views of money and how I’ve strived to live differently than they have. Today, as many of the older generation of my family are in their mid-70’s, I was reflecting on where they’ve gone with their lives, and how they’ve influenced me. I’m going to look… Continue reading Three Case Studies – And They’re All Wrong!
My Goals for 2023
As we careen headlong into 2023 I’m reminded of how optimistic I was going into 2022. I was riding high on the 2021 wave and looking ahead at some great possibilities for the year. Today’s post will not be as optimistic. These are my goals for 2023. Major Goals Minor Goals
Please Stop Citing the Average 401k Balance
Dear Financial Community, Please, for the love of God, stop pointing out the average 401k balance by age. Without fail this is a number that looks and sounds extremely low, especially for older folks, and it’s usually in an effort to show how easy it would be to catch or outpace that number. You all… Continue reading Please Stop Citing the Average 401k Balance
2022 in Review
As the saying goes, “If you want to make God laugh, make a plan.” Early in the year I posted my (mostly) financial goals for 2022. Looking back on those goals makes me realize how optimistic I was coming into this year…and what a shit-show 2022 turned out to be! So without much preamble, lets… Continue reading 2022 in Review
I Was Worse than Broke When People Started Calling me Successful
On the fifteenth of every month I put all of my account information into a spreadsheet. This spreadsheet calculates my current bills, my current balances, and my time to FI at current rates. It also plots my net worth on a chart. I’ve only been doing this for about three years, and I’m not inclined… Continue reading I Was Worse than Broke When People Started Calling me Successful
Good Idea, Bad Idea
It’s about RSU’s again. I’m facing what some would call an equity cliff at the end of 2023. Three years ago I was granted a fairly large amount of RSUs (restricted stock units) which would vest quarterly over four years. While I’ll still have RSUs for the next six years, the difference between 2023 and… Continue reading Good Idea, Bad Idea
Freed by 50 